2.1 Please describe the proposed Specification:

The Java Platform, Standard Edition ("Java SE") is the core Java platform for
general-purpose computing. In this release of the platform, Java SE 9, we
intend to address a number of areas based upon trends in the programming
community, trends in hardware architectures, and above all our continued
commitment to ensuring the broadest possible success of core Java technology
for years to come.

The Java SE 9 Platform Specification will build upon the Java Language
Specification, the Java Virtual Machine Specification, and the Java SE APIs
defined in Java SE 8. As an Umbrella Platform Specification, this document
will specify significant features by reference to other Specifications which
are either defined in new Component JSRs or revised in JCP Maintenance
Releases of existing such JSRs. This Specification will directly specify
smaller features, enhancements, clarifications, and bug fixes that are not
part of any Component JSR Specification.

The primary changes proposed for this release of the Java SE Platform are
the introduction of a module system and the use of that system to modularize
the Platform itself. The module system will be specified by
JSR 376; the modularization
of the Platform, being a global concern, will be specified by this Umbrella
JSR.

This JSR defines a release of the Java SE platform targeted at embedded,
desktop, server, and cloud environments.

2.3 The Executive Committees would like to ensure JSR submitters think about how their proposed technology relates to all of the Java platform editions. Please provide details here for which platform editions are being targeted by this JSR, and how this JSR has considered the relationship with the other platform editions.

This JSR defines version 9 of the Java platform, Standard Edition.

2.4 What need of the Java community will be addressed by the proposed specification?

The introduction of a module system will address two fundamental needs of all
large Java applications, namely reliable configuration and strong
encapsulation, as explained in
JSR 376. The application
of the module system to the Java SE Platform itself will enable
implementations of the Platform to be configured as needed for use in small
computing devices and dense cloud deployments, to improve their security by
encapsulating implementation-internal APIs, and to improve their performance
via more effective ahead-of-time, whole-program optimization techniques.

2.5 Why isn't this need met by existing specifications?

While existing (in progress) JSRs and open-source projects have investigated
the evolution of the Java language, the JVM, and the Java SE APIs, only a
platform JSR can unite the results of these investigations into a new edition
of the Java SE platform.

2.6 Please give a short description of the underlying technology or technologies:

The technologies that make up Java SE 9 will be described in component
JSRs and smaller features enumerated in the Java SE 9 Platform Specification.
Candidate lists are proposed in section 3.1.

2.7 Is there a proposed package name for the API Specification? (i.e., javapi.something, org.something, etc.)

The Java SE platform itself does not have a single package name. All of its
requirements are reflected in the packages of its constituent Java SE APIs.

2.8 Does the proposed specification have any dependencies on specific operating systems, CPUs, or I/O devices that you know of?

No.

2.9 Are there any security issues that cannot be addressed by the current security model?

None are known at this time.

2.10 Are there any internationalization or localization issues?

None are known at this time.

2.11 Are there any existing specifications that might be rendered obsolete, deprecated, or in need of revision as a result of this work?

The Java Language Specification, the Java Virtual Machine Specification, the
Java Native Interface, and other elements of the Java SE Platform
Specification will be revised by this JSR.

2.12 Please describe the anticipated schedule for the development of this
specification.

Expert Group formation: June 2016
Early Draft Review: July 2016
Public Review: September 2016
Proposed Final Draft: January 2017
Final Release: March 2017

2.13 Please describe the anticipated working model for the Expert Group working on developing this
specification.

The Expert Group will communicate primarily via e-mail, using a
publicly-readable mailing list.

2.14 Provide detailed answers to the transparency checklist, making sure to
include URLs as appropriate:

Is the schedule for the JSR publicly available, current, and updated
regularly?

We intend this to be the case.

Can the public read and/or write to a wiki for the JSR?

We do not plan to have a wiki, but there will be a well-known public
home web page for the JSR.

Is there a publicly accessible discussion board for the JSR that you
read and respond to regularly?

No. There will be three public mailing lists (see 2.18, below).

Have you spoken at conferences and events about the JSR recently?

Yes. Members of the Java SE team at Oracle, as well as external
contributors, have spoken and written about planned enhancements for some
time at several conferences including FOSDEM, JavaOne, Jfokus, and
Devoxx.

Are you using open-source processes for the development of the RI
and/or the TCK?

The source code for the Reference Implementation will be developed in
the JDK 9 Project,
in the OpenJDK Community, similar to
development for Java SE 8. The weekly early-access
builds are available for
anyone to test and review.

What are the Terms of Use required to use the collaboration tools you
have prepared to use with the Expert Group, so that prospective EG members
can judge whether they are compatible with the JSPA?

What is the location of your publicly-accessible Issue list? In order
to enable EC members to judge whether Issues have been adequately addressed,
the list must make a clear distinction between Issues that are still open,
Issues that have been deferred, and those that are closed, and must indicate
the reason for any change of state.

Where is the publicly-accessible document archive for your Expert
Group?

(See 2.20, below.)

Does the Community tab for my JSR have links to and information about
all public communication mechanisms and sites for the development of my JSR?

We intend this to be the case.

Do you have a Twitter account or other social networking feed which
people can follow for updates on your JSR?

Yes.

Which specific areas of feedback should interested community members
(such as the Adopt-a-JSR program) provide to improve the JSR (please also
post this to your Community tab)?

Feedback in all areas is welcomed.

2.15 Please describe how the RI and TCK will de delivered, i.e. as part of a profile or platform edition, or stand-alone, or both. Include version information for the profile or platform in your answer.

The RI will be the Java Development Kit (JDK), version 9. The TCK will be the
Java Compatibility Kit (JCK), version 9.

2.16 Please state the rationale if previous versions are available stand-alone and you are now proposing in 2.13 to only deliver RI and TCK as part of a profile or platform edition (See sections 1.1.5 and 1.1.6 of the JCP 2 document).

(Not applicable.)

2.17 Please provide a description of the business terms for the Specification, RI and TCK that will apply when this JSR is final.

These are the licenses for the
specification
and the
TCK.
They are similar to those for Java
SE 8 (JSR 337). Minor
adjustments to these licenses may be necessary to allow modular
run-time images.

2.18 Please describe the communications channel you have established for the public to observe Expert Group deliberations, provide feedback, and view archives of all Expert Group communications.

We will implement a trio of mailing lists in an approach already used by
earlier JSRs, including that for Java SE 8 (JSR 337):

Expert Group discussions will be carried out on an "experts" mailing
list, limited to Expert Group members.

The "observers" list will be for those who wish to monitor and, perhaps,
discuss the EG's progress. Messages sent to the "experts" list will
automatically be forwarded to this list. Anyone may subscribe to this list,
and any subscriber may post. EG members are under no obligation to follow
the traffic on this list.

The "comments" list will be for sending comments, suggestions, and other
feedback directly to the EG. Only EG members may subscribe to this list, but
anyone may post. The EG will read all messages sent to this list, and will
record feedback in the issue tracker as appropriate.

The archives of all of these lists will be publicly readable.

2.19 What is the URL of the Issue Tracker that the public can read, and how does the public log issues in the Issue Tracker?

2.20 Please provide the location of the publicly accessible document archive you have created for the Expert Group.

3.1 Please list any existing documents, specifications, or implementations that describe the technology. Please include links to the documents if they are publicly available.

The following JSR will be proposed for inclusion as a component of the
Java SE 9 Umbrella JSR. The final Java SE 9 Platform Specification might not
include this JSR, and it might include some JSRs which are not listed
here.

The following core Java SE specifications will be modified under the
auspices of this Umbrella JSR to incorporate changes made for routine
maintenance and small-scale enhancements:

Java Language Specification

JVM Specification

Java SE APIs

Java Native Interface

Smaller features will be specified directly by this Umbrella JSR.
Many of these are being prototyped in the
JDK 9 Project and
are described, for now, by
JDK Enhancement Proposals (JEPs).
Each feature listed below includes a link to the corresponding JEP document as
a convenience, but that document will not be a normative part of the Java SE 9
Platform Specification. The final Specification might not include all of
these features, and it might include some features which are not listed here.